At World's End
by NothingbutButterbeer
Summary: James and Lily are in there last year at Hogwarts, and neither are ready to leave yet. There is still some unsettled business to finish... and James certainly won't let Lily off without getting at least one chance with her. Jily Enjoy :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is going to be a long one, and I really hope you enjoy it! Shout out to TheSassySasquatch123, TG (my editor), and HL for supporting me SOOO MUCH in this and sharing my love for HP! Love you guys.**

 **Enjoy! :)**

Anyone who claimed that _time brought upon wisdom_ or whatever was a complete and utter lunatic. All that this disguised demon called "time" did was bring the Seventh year closer to their NEWTs and graduation from Hogwarts... along with quite the irritating _tick tick_ as each and every second elapsed. Honestly, what idiot came up with such a horrid concept? What was the mere purpose of it? What would this demonic creator (a madman, no doubt) achieve from such an invention? Nothing- absolutely nothing unless it was a well-deserved blow in the gut...

At least, this was what James Potter thought as he sat next to his one and only Lily Evans one particular Sunday night. For days and months and years now, he had developed a rather potent infatuation with her... though it was quite conspicuous that it was not a mutual relationship. Not that James let it bother him too much...

He studied her adorable expression as she flipped through her Charms textbook, her eyebrows scrunched in frustration. His eyes slowly made their way from her flaming red hair, which was sprawled messily across her shoulders, down to her emerald green eyes and high cheekbones, to her...

"Potter? Are you all right?" Lily had looked up from her Charms essay and was eyeing him warily, obviously having noticed his spellbound expression.

" _Idiot_ ," James chided himself. He chuckled back in response, quickly recovering from his daze. "Oh, er... Quidditch, Head boy stuff, Binns droning on about- what was it again... Goblin Wars? eh, whatever- tires a poor soul out."

Lily peered back at him with a queried look, suspecting that he wasn't telling the truth and seeing past his facade of cavalier poise, but she gazed back at her Charms paper once more and began scribbling away furiously.

The two of them sat together in the Gryffindor Common Room in silence for what seemed like hours- Lily diligently working on her essay and James chewing on the back of his quill, sneaking quick glances at her- until, finally, Lily cried,"DONE!", throwing her quill and parchment down in a triumphant manner.

James, startled by the outburst, jolted up, nearly knocking over his own paper (which had a grand total of two words- his name- and a rather "detailed" drawing of the girl in front of him). Quickly grasping a firm hold of his sheet and crumpling it up, he cried,"Dammit Evans! You nearly gave this poor soul a heart attack!"

"That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing..." Lily muttered under her breath.

James chuckled and reached over to snag Lily's now-completed essay, pretending not to notice the _I-will-slaughter-you-in-your-sleep_ type of glare Lily was sending his way.

He took his time skimming over her paper before saying,"You know, Lils, I would definitely give you full score for this."

Lily's emerald green eyes widened in disbelief at his irregular show of kindness as she sputtered,"Really... and uh, why... why would that be, _Potter_?", emphasizing the last word with a self-conscious, steely tone.

James grinned his unparalleled smile, flashing his flawless teeth as his eyes glinted playfully. "Because I'd never be able to bear _ten whole pages_ of this blather, Evans. Did you _plan_ on writing a textbook, or is this actually your version of an essay?" he chortled. "I think I might even be feeling slight sorrow for the teachers-"

Lily's jaw dropped as she cut him off, roaring,"JAMES POTTER- YOU TWAT- HOW DARE YOU! YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND, YOU LAZY GIT! AS IF YOU WOULD CARE TO ACTUALLY COMPLIMENT ME! YOU. ARE. SO. INFURIATING! UGHHHH!" She stood up to leave as James's hand shot out and clasped her arm.

She swiveled her head towards him, practically hissing.

"NO! Er, Lils... sorry... I was just kidding! I'm sorry, don't leave," he managed, daring a quick, sheepish glance at Lily.

She rolled her eyes and tried unlatching her arm from his, but he only tightened his grip.

"I swear, Lily, I was only joking. We all know how smart, hard-working, amazing, beaut-" James caught himself, blushing, but quickly recovered and continued. "You always put your best into everything, no matter what... and you're right, I could never even think about doing that. I mean, come on- you're practically perfect." He managed to offer her a rueful smile, hoping that the warm tinge in his cheeks was not what he thought it was.

Sighing to himself, James wondered if his perfect Lily Evans would ever see him as he saw her, if she would ever love him with her very soul as he did her.

Lily still looked hesitant, caution dancing in her eyes, but she sat back down.

"You better not be mocking me, Potter," she muttered. "Everyone thinks you're Mr. Perfect- Marauder, Quidditch captain, excellent student... and on top of that, you charm practically every teacher and girl there is."

James quirked at eyebrow at her.

"Except for me, of course!" she quickly added, flushing. "I can see straight through your stupid glamour to your arrogance and vanity! You don't care about a single girl you date! You just love the "thrill" of it. You'll dump her as soon as the fun's over and you actually have to uphold some commitment!"

Lily was glaring daggers at this point, challenging James to contradict her.

Wisely, he kept shut.

"That's right, Potter! You won't just get away with _using_ girls as you please- at least, not me!" Lily spat, a rush of pride invigorating her.

After a long moment of silence, James grinned and quipped,"So... who _do_ you like, then, Evans?"

Lily gaped at him in disbelief. "Wha- oh _MERLIN_ , Potter. WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO A THING I SAID? I don't give a damn what others think of you, but in my mind, you will always be nothing but a self-absorbed git! You're impossible, you know that?"

She jumped up, throwing him a nasty look before storming off to her dorm. James sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah... I know..." James whispered as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against his palm. He _knew_ he was being an arrogant bastard. He _knew_ he was pissing Lily off. He _knew_ Lily couldn't stand his haughty pretense... but he just couldn't control himself. Every time Lily was there, it was as if all his senses just crept right out of him...not an iota of judgement left. He had to appear calm, collected, and witty to cover the fact that just the sight of her drove him into a mad frenzy... his palms sweating, his heart a jackhammer in his chest, his stomach practically eating itself...

James was about to get up and leave until he noticed that Lily had left her thesis- er, _essay_ \- on the couch. He picked it up and traced each word with a gentle finger, admiring her perfect penmanship. He smiled as he tucked the essay into his robe and trudged back to his dorm. Thinking of all the dreams he would have- how differently the night may have gone if he hadn't been such a prick, his mind filled with the gorgeous Lily smiling at him, leaning close, brushing a strand of hair away from his face...

How might his life been if he had spared her a thought in their first few years at Hogwarts... back when he thought of Lily as nothing more than a redheaded bookworm. James chuckled. How things had changed... since the day he found his heart fluttering when Lily's cheeks tinged pink in anger at his foolish pranks, the day he no longer saw her crimson hair as a mass of fire- but as delicate, tranquil rubicund waves, the day he realized that he actually enjoyed her witty remarks and reluctant smiles...

His gaze shifted down to the essay tucked neatly away in his robe, and a plan- a ruddy dangerous plan, but a plan nonetheless- fabricated in his mind. He grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

"James!" Lily cried in distress the next morning at breakfast. "What have you done with my essay, you foul git?"

"Wha- so quick to jump to conclusions, Evans. I have no clue what you're talking about," James replied innocently, despite the mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"JAMES!" Lily screeched, balling her fists. "I know you have it! _Merlin_ , if I find that you did anything to it-"

"Alright, ALRIGHT," James interjected, laughing. "I have it right here with me." He patted his pocket, smirking at Lily's defeated scowl. If he didn't know any better, she was actually hoping to have a reason to pummel him...

"In which case, I'd like it back right now, Potter. I'm sure Flitwick will appreciate the effort I put into this _textbook_ , unlike some goons," Lily huffed, holding her hand out expectantly.

Unfortunately for poor Lily, this was James Potter she was dealing with, and James was not one to give up such an opportune moment (honestly, you'd think that after nearly seven years, she'd have learned something). He put his own hand in Lily's instead of the essay, pulling her in close as she yelped in disapproval.

"I'll give you back your paper," he whispered in her ear, trying desperately to control his delight as he felt Lily shiver while ignoring the way his mind went hazy as he felt her breath tickle his neck," if you go with me to next week's Hogsmeade trip."

Lily blinked and stared blankly up at James's smug expression, slowly taking in what he said. "Potter, you realize that this is utter blackmail- and quite a horrid way to ask a girl out, right? And just so you know, I'd rather write my essay ten whole times before going out with you. I've already told you, I find no charm in your pathetic personality."

James's smile never faltered as stepped back and replied," All right, then, I guess I'll be keeping this." He waved the essay in his hand before stuffing it back in his pocket. "Oh, and I'd hurry if I were you. It's due tomorrow, if I'm correct."

"You creep- you git- you... I honestly don't know what others see in you. You are so..." Lily's eyes burned with a fiery hatred as she searched for a word that would properly convey her feelings at the moment.

James finally gazed down at her with a pleading look, realizing that maybe his "ingenious plan" had gone a teensy bit too far. "Come on, Lils," he implored desperately," you can bring Marlene, too! See, then it won't even be a date- just a _friendly gathering_. I'll even bring Sirius!"

Marlene McKinnon was Lil's best mate, as Sirius Black was to James. _She_ never seemed to mind James, unlike Lily...

"Oh, come _on,_ James," Lily snorted. "You know perfectly well that Marly will just saunter off with Black into a secluded corner where they will snog the life out of each other. You can't fool me that easily."

Ok, so maybe this thought _had_ crossed James's mind... but hey! You never know when the notoriously " _intimate_ " couple will take a break... there's always that possibility, though James wisely decided not to bring it to Lily's attention.

"Lily, please! Just give me a shot!" James cried, throwing his arms up in despair- he was running out of ideas.

"Oh, give you a _shot_? So after having the satisfaction of winning over Lily Evans, you can just string me onto your collection of heartbroken girls? It's always been some sick game to you, right? So _NO_ , Potter, I will _NOT_ give you a shot," Lily replied icily, disgusted by the mere thought of giving into James.

"Lily! Wha-I would never hurt you- hurt anyone- like that! Where did you get _that_ theory from?" James gasped, grabbing for Lily's hand again.

She yanked herself away and hissed," You know what, James? I'll give you your measly shot. I'll show you that you won't be able to so easily make a fool out of me. You can take me to Hogsmeade, but under my conditions."

James stared at her, expecting her to burst out laughing and tell him that she was joking. But one look at her stony mien told him that she was being serious.

"Anything," he breathed.

"You have a mere half-an-hour with me," she stated, crossing her arms.

"Wait. What? Half-an-hour? That's-"

"All you're getting. Thirty minutes, James, to do whatever shit you do."

And with that, she swiped her essay back, pressing it to her chest and practically crooning to it, before walking away and leaving James staring at her back in disbelief. He shook out of his bewilderment and sat down next to Sirius to eat.

"It just _had_ to be her, eh mate?" Sirius joked as James grumbled. Both boys had gone to hell and back together- everything from facing McGonnagal's unforgiving detentions after playing pranks on the Slytherins to grave family matters. James knew he could always count on Sirius Black for assistance with his ever-many life struggles, _especially_ when it came to the mysterious female specimen. Sirius Black had always been quite the charmer; girls eyed him hungrily as he walked by, mystified by his mischievous dark eyes and tousled black hair. Besides that, he and Marlene had been an official couple for quite a few years, so he was obviously doing _something_ right.

"I'm doomed," James sulked, resting his head on his palm. "I'll probably trip over my feet and knock her over and then have to spend my measly half-hour in the hospital with her. Curse my large feet and foul luck."

He heaved a dramatic sigh and continued," Sirius, mate, you gotta help me! The only thing she'll be doing with me in a dark and empty corner is skinning me alive! I can't go like this to Hogsmeade- she hates my guts! And if I'm correct, that is _not_ a contributing factor to a date."

Sirius eyes James with a piteous expression for a while, stroking his nonexistent beard, and then sighed anticlimactically. "M'dear James, I do believe I am your only hope left in winning over the fair yet rather prudish-"he winced as James elbowed him a bit too low for his liking-" Lily Evans. I therefore accept this responsibility and will take you under my wing. My teachings will enlighten you on everything from simple, flustering gestures to- ahhh, more intimate-"

Sirius yelped as James punched him again, but this time, both began cracking up.

"Yes, m'lord Sirius. I do hope your... teachings, if that's what you call it, serve me well..." James replied with a grin, dramatically bowing to Sirius as both stood to leave for class.

" _I really do_ ," he bit back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I hope y'all are enjoying this! If you have any suggestions or comments, please lemme know!**

 **Enjoy :)**

"Wait... so you're telling me that I should win over Lily Evans and rid her of her murderous feelings for me, replacing them with an everlasting, burning love instead, by holding a bloody door for her?" James asked incredulously. "Mate, I don't think that's gonna work in this situation."

Sirius and James lay sprawled across a giant four-poster in the Room of Requirement, pondering how in Merlin's pants James was going to impress Lily. Though this opportunity was exactly what James had always wanted, he could not ignore the sinking feeling that had been engulfing his insides...

"Yes, er... well, you're gonna have to do a bit more than that... carry her books, walk her to class, heck, butter her bloody toast if you have to," Sirius asserted, trying to mask his apprehension.

It was true that James had fallen for just about about the only girl that didn't swoon at the sight of him... but what of it? James had tried everything to win over the ever-resilient Lily Evan, and this was their seventh and last year at Hogwarts. Sirius knew that James would be truly hurt if Lily hadn't even given him a fair chance by the end of the year- not after having tried so hard for her. He had yelled his proclamations of love for her across the Great Hall in front of everyone, chased after her every second of his spare time, comforted her when she was in distress...

He was no longer the irresponsible, wily prankster that Lily remembered him as- he had matured. Sure, the Marauders pranked someone every other day... but James always thought everything out beforehand, considering the consequences. He truly did not want to be seen as a spiteful, boneheaded hooligan in the eyes Lily Evans, and Sirius knew that James had finally been given his chance. This Hogsmeade trip would practically mean life or death for James, and Sirius took it upon himself to get James ready.

 _Merlin, he better be ready to kiss my ass if this goes successfully_ , he thought.

"James, just trust me- you're going about this the wrong way," Sirius sighed," Lily's not the type of girl who enjoys your flirting or humor. She'll open up to you if you treated her politely, rather than mocking her or whatever."

James knew he was right, yet he still felt an urge to defend himself. "Hey! I don't _mock_ her... she just _hates_ me..."

"You've bloody dated and dumped every girl at this school," Sirius replied, smirking.

"Right..."

"Okay then."

"Not like you're any better."

"Never said I was."

"... I'm doomed, huh?"

"Not yet, Prongsie, not yet."

* * *

James took a deep breath and started towards Lily, who was just leaving the Great Library to head towards the library to study. He had decided to listen to Sirius (for better or for worse...) and be nothing but a gentleman to Lily (however he would manage _that_ ). Still, the tight knot that had formed in his stomach certainly wasn't going to be helping him anytime soon...

James's mind was inundated with thoughts of everything that could go wrong, how he could blow his chance...

Quickly collecting himself, he slid into the seat in front of Lily, feigning calm. "Hey, Lils. Going to the library?"

She nodded, eyeing him warily as if she could sense something was up, before picking up her book bag.

"No! Er, let me!" James piped up a bit too enthusiastically, quickly reaching for her bag.

"Potter-what? I'm, completely capable of carrying my own things, thank you!" she stated, obviously startled by his readiness to go out of his way to help her.

"But I insist," James said, trying to maintain his composure. _Please, please, PLEASE just let me hold the bloody bag..._

"Er, all right..." Lily mumbled, still eyeing James cautiously.

He beamed at her, slinging the bag over his shoulder, and said," Now that's the spirit, Lils."

She snorted. "This better not be about yesterday. You're not getting more than thirty minutes out of me, Potter."

James flashed her another grin," Course not. Wouldn't dream of it." Oh _Merlin_ , she was always a step ahead of him...

Lily must have sensed James's disappointment because she smirked, but something in her eyes had softened as she watched this desperate boy trying to please her...

Finally at the library, James dropped the bag on a table and flexed his arms.

"Bloody hell, woman, what's in here? A Horntail?" James cried, seating himself on the table.

"They're called books, Potter. Ever heard of them?" Lily snapped right back, but she was grinning.

 _Wow, Sirius really knows his stuff_ , James thought, impressed.

He stared as Lily sat down and pulled her potions book out. Her long red hair flowed seamlessly down her back, and her gorgeous green eyes seemed to be scanning through the textbook for something, alive and alert. She sat in a poised manner, her back arched and her slender arms resting on the table. Her blouse clung to her perfect figure, making out every single curve.

James Potter couldn't help but admire Lily. She was perfect in every way, no doubt about that, and could easily have anyone- any _guy_ \- she wanted at the snap of her fingers. But no. She would not succumb to such a desire, but rather focus on work that that actually mattered to her. He thought about his own measly life and wondered what would become of it. Sure, he was Head Boy and Quidditch Captain... but in the long run, that did not matter. You probably wouldn't defeat one of the greatest dark lords of all time with a detention slip...

James continued gazing at Lily in admiration until her eyes met his own.

"Er, Potter?"

"Yes?" he replied, snapping back into reality.

"Um... you've been staring at me for the past two minutes..."

"Two-what? Oh, er... well, yes..." he sputtered.

Lily dropped her gaze, a light blush dancing across her cheeks.

Seeing that he wasn't the only one in an awkward predicament, James gained some confidence and announced," But to be honest... those were the best two minutes of my day." Grinning, he slid off the table and nodded to her in farewell.

With a new-found swagger, he paused at the doorway without looking back and he called out," Five days, Evans. Five days until our _date_."

Even as he sauntered out of the room, he could just picture Lily turning a bright shade of red (not much unlike her hair) and practically feel her gaping at him in shock.

And _Merlin_ , did it feel good.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! So this chapter is in Lily's P.o.V. And I know this one is REALLY short, but the chapter after this is one of my favorites so I hope that makes up for it!**

 **Enjoy :)**

 _HOW DARE THAT GIT! HE JUST SAID- AND JUST WALKED OFF AS IF- AND JUST UGHHH!_

Lily was fuming mad with Potter, but also with herself. This was _exactly_ what he had wanted, and she was basically just paving the road for him. She had let him _get_ to her. Lily Evans did not let James Potter _get_ to her, no matter what. She couldn't just open up to him because he held her bloody books, yet there she had been- flustered and blushing. _Bleh_.

Lily knew that she had been treading dangerous grounds the moment she agreed to Potter's Hogsmeade request- or rather, _bribe_ \- but this was downright preposterous! It had barely been a day, for Merlin's sake!

Lily sighed in self-reproach as she continued to write her essay on the twelve uses of dragon's blood, pushing all thoughts of James bloody Potter away...

* * *

The next day, Lily had barely stepped out of the Gryffindor common room before James appeared by her side, his trademeark smirk etched clearly across his face.

Lily groaned and quickened her pace. Unfortunately, James's long strides matched up perfectly with her hastened ones, and he was soon strolling along right beside her.

"What do you want, Potter?" she finally sighed irritably.

"Why, I'm just walking a fair lady to breakfast," he replied innocently, barely biting back his mischievous smile. "Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Lily rolled her eyes and continued walking, pretending not to notice as James shifted uncomfortably close to her, pretending not to feel a jolt as his curious eyes rested on her, and definitely pretending not to hear the rebellious voice inside her head as it quipped," _Quidditch has done him good..."_

 _"LILY!_ " she scolded herself.

" _Just saying..._ "

Soon, the pair had reached the Great Hall and sat down to eat. James had taken a plate and already begun serving himself as Lily continued internally bickering with herself. She looked up with a start as James slid his plate towards her, and her jaw dropped.

"Blueberry pancakes dressed in hazelnut glaze with strawberries on the side. Your favorite, right?"

Lily was too stunned to answer; she continued staring between her plate and James in utter shock. Under any normal circumstances, she would have severely chastised James for having the audacity to watch her eat every day (Merlin, how odd _was_ this boy?). However, Lily was facing no "normal" circumstances... where was the James that pranked her, mortified her, and made her feel like ripping out his very throat? This James- this new, _polite_ James- was scaring her.

She was quickly losing what little respect she still had for herself by letting him play this game with her. She _saw_ that he was gradually working his way to her, but she still had not done anything to stop him yet...

Bloody hell.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! This is one of my favorite chapters, so I hope y'all enjoy it! It has Patronuses! (Who _doesn't_ like a bit of stag-doe fanfic, eh?)**

 **Enjoy :)**

Lily twiddled her thumbs in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class as Professor Rosemary continued her lecture on Patronuses. She herself was already able to produce a full-fledged Patronus and currently had a much more, er- _important-_ problem on her mind. She let her eyes wander over to where her _problem_ sat. He was sniggering about something with the Marauders as usual, chortling like an idiot.

"Missing him already, are we?" giggled Marlene, following Lily's gaze.

"Oh, shut up Marly!" Lily snapped, quickly refocusing her gaze to on the professor; unfortunately, the damage had been done, and Marlene didn't stop giggling or throwing Lily sly smiles until Rosemary announced their next assignment. _Oh Merlin..._

"All right, class. I would like everyone to begin practicing casting a Patronus. Remember, this is not easy but is an essential tool you should be able to use in the face of danger- which is much closer than many of you think."

The class shifted and grew quiet. Everyone knew exactly what the professor was talking about: Voldemort. Everyday, a murder, disappearance, or Merlin-knows-what would make the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ , and they were all linked to the Dark Lord and his throng of sickening Death Eaters. The professor sighed tiredly and told the class to begin, dispelling of all the awkward tension as quickly as it had come.

"Hey, Evans!" James cried from across the room. "Heard you cast a _relatively_ good Patronus!"

Lily huffed, forcing herself to slowly turn around and face the aggravating twit. "Yes, Potter. And I've heard that you yourself can barely form a single _wisp_ for your own bloody Patronus."

"Is that so?" he quipped, raising an eyebrow. Whipping out his wand, he chanted," _Expecto Patronum!_ "

A magnificent stag leaped off the tip of his wand, its majestic antlers and elegant body taking shape. It began prancing around, curiously staring at Lily with its milky-white eyes.

She glared daggers at James, ignoring his smug grin, and pulled her own wand out, straightening up. By now, the whole class was watching with an amused interest, and Lily could not afford to let James make a fool out of her.

" _Expecto Patronum,"_ she clearly enunciated, ending with a flourish of her wand. A gorgeous doe emmerged gracefully as Lily smirked, admiring her handiwork. The doe capered around in a circle before noticing James's stag. Then, to Lily's horror, the two bound towards each other and the class began to murmer in surprise. Lily gaped at her own Patronus, her beautiful, _loyal_ doe, as it nuzzled the stag affectionately. The two creatures intertwined their necks, gazing into each others eyes, as someone whistled in the back.

Unable to stand the mortification any longer, Lily flicked her wand and the doe vanished into thin air. She could feel her cheeks burning as James flashed her an inquiring look, and she quickly packed up her things, trying not to make eye contact with anyone, after Rosemary dismissed the class.

"Make sure to practice your Patronuses! I'll be checking your progress next class. In fact, I'm sure Lily and James wouldn't mind helping some of you out, either," she called out, winking at the two of them.

" _Wouldn't mind helping, my_ arse," Lily grumbled, hurrying out of the classroom.

"Whoa, wait up their Evans!" James cried, catching up to her. "You okay? You look like you could murder someone."

Lily stopped, causing James to bump into her. She stared into his eyes, surprised to find that he truly had no idea what had upset her. _Boys..._

"I think it may have to do with how your Patronuses practically made out with each other in front of the whole class," Marlene giggled, dodging a kick from Lily.

"Hey, it was _your_ doe that made the move on _my_ stag! Quite impressive, by the way," James laughed. Lily let out a cry of anguish, balling her fists in frustration, before punching James in the shoulder.

"Hey!" he yelped, jumping back. "No need to mess up my perfect Quidditch physique! I'm gonna need that!"

Lily aimed another punch at him, but he sidestepped it and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her hands. Lily tensed as she felt James's warm body press against her back, her skin tingling at his touch. She felt his every breath- his chest lightly rising and sinking- and tried to withhold a shiver. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten, trying not to imagine how flustered she must have looked.

 _10, 9, 8..._

 _Mmmmm..._ Dammit. The voice was back.

 _7, 6, 5..._

 _Bloody HELL, Lily, do you have no dignity left?_ she scolded herself.

 _4,3,2_ \- Oh, screw it.

She quickly collected herself, ignoring how James's body fit perfectly against hers, and said," I certainly hope that I have not damaged this _Quidditch physique_ of yours, since it's all you seem to have."

James let go of her, chuckling, as he ruffled his already-too-messy hair. "Apology accepted. I'm glad you feel concern over my muscular figure's safety, Evans."

"Merlin's _beard_ , Potter. You act as if the universe revolves your bloody abs."

James flashed her a cheeky grin. "So you admit that I have abs then, eh?"

"I'm sure that the opinion of every girl at Hogwarts will be proof enough," Lily huffed, rolling her eyes as James burst out laughing.

"Aw, don't be jealous Lils. Come one, I'll walk you to class."

"Jealous my _arse_. And no, Potter, my class happens to be at the exact opposite side of yours. You'll be late."

"As Head Boy, I'm sure I'll be excused."

"As Head Girl, I forbid you to abuse your powers to get out of trouble!"

"If you insist on the hard way," James laughed," but I must warn you, I'm quite stubborn and never take no for an answer..."

Before Lily could even begin to think about what that could possibly mean, James picked her up in one fluid motion and she shrieked. She struggled against his grip, demanding that he let her down as he ambled on towards her class. He jumped over a small stairway, landing gracefully on his feet; nevertheless, Lily yelped and threw her arms around his neck, digging her fingernails into his skin. He just grinned, and Lily could practically feel the smugness radiating off him. _I will gut him alive for this..._

They traveled corridor after corridor, staircase after staircase, and yet the classroom seemed to be no closer than before. Lily buried her head in James's chest every time a curious eye turned their way, hoping that she hadn't been identified. What would everyone think when they heard about this? _Lily Evans the flirt..._ she shook these treacherous thoughts out of her head, clenching her teeth.

Finally, as they approached the classroom, James let her down (much to her relief). She huffed, straightening out her blouse and skirt, before screeching," POTTER- WHA-"

But James quickly took her hand and lightly pecked it, bowing as he called out," Later, my fair Evans! Can't be late to class, now, can I?" Winking, he dashed off.

Lily just stood there gaping, slowly running a finger over where James had kissed her. She shook herself out of her haze and stepped into Charms class, remembering everything she had gone through for her measly Charms essay yesterday morning, and her lips betrayed her thoughts, breaking into a small smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! So here, I wrote about QUIDDITCH! Hope y'all like it!**

 **Enjoy :)**

That night in her dorm, Lily had just finished reviewing for the next day's Potions exam. She put her books away and stretched lazily before lugging her feet over to the bed along with Marlene and Alice. She, Marlene, and Alice Prewett (her other best mate) shared a dorm together (along with the wicked Kayleen Manon, but the girls tried to ignore her presence whenever they could), and ever since their first day at Hogwarts, the three had formed a strong bond. They did everything together, whether it was teasing Alice about her crush on Frank Longbottom (who had graduated last year) or providing one another a shoulder to cry on.

"Lils, I was wondering if... if you wanted to come to Quidditch practice tomorrow," Marlene said slowly.

Lily blinked, then laughed," Oh _Merlin_ , Marly! You know I'm dreadful at flying! I'll probably kill off half the team!"

A rough snort from Kayleen's side.

"I _meant_ ," Marlene began, ignoring the other girl's rather derogatory intrusion," if you wanted to watch us, stupid."

"A special someone might be there, too..." Alice piped in, wiggling her eyebrows.

"ALIIIIIICE!" Marlene screeched, tackling her. "You GIT! You weren't supposed to say that!"

Lily pretended to be deeply offended, clutching her heart, and sent the girls into a fit of giggles.

"Honestly, Alice, you must think quite lowly of me if you think _Potter_ is going to get me to go," Lily declared, gaining an air of seriousness as she stared pointedly at her friends.

"We never said anything about Potter-" Marlene sniggered before she was cut off by a snarl from Lily.

"Oh, come on Lils! Just one practice?" Marlene begged, attempting a puppy face.

Lily laughed, finally succumbing, and said," Fine, I'll go. But you will NOT force me to fly, or worse, make me talk to Potter. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Marlene smirked triumphantly as the girls shook hands.

* * *

Lily grumbled as Marlene shook her awake early the next morning, wondering exactly why she had agreed to come to Quidditch practice.

"Lilyyyy! Hurry up!" Marlene groaned, watching impatiently as Lily slowly sat up and stretched.

She yanked a screeching Lily out of bed and shoved her into the bathroom to get ready.

"You better be out in five minuted, Lily Evans! Practice starts soon and we haven't even had breakfast."

Unfortunately, Lily took a _bit_ longer than five minutes (despite Marlene's desperate banging on the door), and both disgruntled girls were soon dashing over to the Quidditch field on an empty stomach.

"Finally! Our beloved Chaser seems to be fashionably late... _again_!" James smirked as Marlene and Lily hurried over to the team, puffing. "Ah, and she has brought the fair Evans with her! Have you come to show off your _devastatingly_ amazing flying skills, Evans, or were you hoping to get a glimpse of those abs we were talking about?"

Lily began regretting this decision more and more with each passing second as she felt her face grow hot.

Nevertheless, she rolled her eyes and forced a sickly sweet grin. "Of course, Potter, that's _exactly_ why I'm here. To try and get a whiff of your abs under the fifty pounds of bloody Quidditch gear you wear. Unless, of course, you're planning to play with your shirt off, in which case I hope those charming abs of yours make out with a bludger."

She smiled innocently up at him, smug malice glowing in her eyes, as the rest of the rest of the team roared with laughter. James grumbled something about " _team loyalty_ " and " _shitty mates_ ", but Lily was too busy reveling in her glory to care.

After calming down, the team readied themselves to play, and Lily found herself a shaded spot on the bleachers to sit. As she watched the Gryffindors fly, she was truly in awe. Every player seemed to work in a seamless harmony, quick and graceful. James himself truly stood out, and Lily couldn't help but admire his agility and speed on a broomstick (curse her own horrid flying skills). He sped from one end of the field to the other, the wind weaving through his messy hair, his back arching as if becoming one with the broom, his eyes darting around to follow the Quaffle...

After a while, Lily stood up to stretch, wondering whether she could make a quick attempt to get some breakfast before class started and appease her grumbling stomach. She made her way through the stands until she heard James cry out her name.

She looked up to see what he wanted as she heard him again.

"LILY, WATCH OUT!"

Confused, Lily found James flying hastily towards her, his face etched with alarm. When she finally realized what James had been pointing at, it was too late. A bludger came hurtling towards her at full speed, slamming into the side of her head. She barely had time to cry out in shock before everything went cold. The last thing she saw was James leaping off his broom, crouching down beside her, as he yelled her name again and again and again...


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Ok, so I thought this chapter was really cute cuz James gets all concerned and worried over Lily ^^ n'all. So I hope y'all like it too!**

 **Enjoy :)**

Lily groaned as she forced herself into a seated position. Her entire body was sore, and her head hurt like _hell_. She quickly grew aware of her surroundings and noticed that she was in the hospital wing. Stretching her arms out a bit, she noticed a lean figure seated on the bed right next to her. She shook her head to clear her cloudy head and raised an eyebrow.

"James?"

He was still dressed in his grimy Quidditch gear and was currently dozing with his head leaning against the wall; Lily almost felt bad for waking him up- he looked so _innocent_ with his mischief-tinted eyes closed and his skin pale and smooth under the dim lighting. His eyelids fluttered open at the sound of name, and it took him a moment to realize that Lily had awoken.

As soon as he saw her, however, he leaped out of bed and adjusted his glasses, crying,"Lily! Merlin's beard, are you all right? That was a _nasty_ hit you had there!"

"Yeah... just a bit sore, I guess..." Lily stammered. Pretending to pout, she cried," It was your _bloody abs_ that were supposed to get hit, not my _face_!"

James let out a small laugh, running a hand through his hair while gazing intensely at her.

She shifted uncomfortably. "So... what exactly happened?"

Madam Pomfrey, who had just entered the room, snorted. "I'll tell you what happened. You took a horrible hit to the head- blue bruises lining your head, red splotching your supra-orbital node, your lymphatic liquids almost seeping through-" she paused as James let out a squeamish noise-"anyway, this young man carried you all the way from the field, refusing to bloody leave until you woke. _Merlin_ , couldn't even eat my own _dinner_ without him asking how you were every five minutes!"

By now, James was flushing a furious red, but Lily was too shocked to notice.

"D-dinner?" she yelped. "How long was I out?"

"All day..." James sighed, offering her a sheepish smile.

"All- what? But Potter! Your classes!" Lily cried out furiously. "The Potions exam today!"

"Head Boy, remember?" he smirked, his tense stance slowly easing.

Lily groaned as he chuckled. She tried getting out of bed until she felt a sharp pain burst out from the side of her head. Her vision flashed, and she gasped as her head began violently throbbing, her body slightly swaying.

James's eyes widened, and he quickly grasped her wrists, steadying her.

"Madam Pomfrey demanded you stay the night... oh, and she told me to give you this," he said, reaching for a vial pf something that reeked of a bogie-flavored Bertie Bot's bean...

Lily eyed the bottle warily before setting it down and sighing," Thank you, James... you must be tired too. You should probably be heading back to the common room."

When he did not reply, she looked up to find his eyes full of surprise, his lips slightly parted.

Then she realized her mistake.

"You called me James," he breathed, a wide grin growing on his face.

"I- it doesn't mean anything. My head is spinning, that's all..." she stammered. But even she couldn't hide the pure shock and disbelief behind her words. Bloody hell, what had that bludger _done_ to her?

"Whatever, _Potter_. But you really should be heading back now," she grumbled, turning away from him to hide her flushed cheeks.

James hesitated slightly before asking,"Are you sure you're all right on your own, Lils? I can stay here if you want..."

For once, Lily flashed him a genuine smile and laughed. Maybe it was just the deranged-mind talking, but she truly appreciated James's assistance. She replied," Thanks, _James_ , but really. I'm fine."

 _James_... how easily it rolled off her tongue...

He perked up at his name, but he seemed to be searching through her eyes for assurance that she was truly all right. Finally, he stood up. "If you're sure-"

"Merlin, I _AM_! Now _SHOO_!" she cried laughing, motioning to the door.

James just stood there for a moment, his face blank and expressionless, until he finally leaned down and softly kissed her on the cheek, inches away from her bruises.

She went rigid as she inhaled his musky scent. His hands gently cupped her face, his finger gently stoking her jaw, until he pulled away and whispered," Get better soon, Lils..."

Slowly standing up, he began walking away. Lily struggled to rid of the feeling of his hot breath against her neck, but she managed to call out," Three days, Potter."

He stopped and looked back. "What?"

She cursed herself... maybe she was just being stupid. Nevertheless, she persisted," Until Hogsmeade... three days."

A lopsided grin broke out across his face as he raised an eyebrow. "Ah... so are you reconsidering your thirty minutes then, Evans?"

Lily rolled her eyes and laughed, surprised at how relaxed she sounded when her mind was actually whirring intermittently. "Not a chance, Potter!"

"You'll regret it..."

"Really? And why might that be?"

"Because... the nearest dark, secluded room in Hogsmeade is approximately fifteen minutes away, and I do not think that will leave us with enough time to-"

"JAMES!" Lily shrieked as she threw her pillow at him, her eyes widening and her face burning. "OUT. NOW!"

James chuckled as he dodged the pillow and made his way to the exit. At the doorway, he paused and turned back to Lily. "Are you sure-"

"GO!"

He bowed to her, grinning, and said," Until tomorrow, then, my fair Evans..."

Lily waited until his echoing footsteps died down before she released the breath that she had been holding for the past minute. She sunk back down into her bed, relaxing, but immediately began eyeing her pillow longingly, wishing she hadn't been so quick to dispose of it.

Bloody hell. What had just happened?

First, she called the git _James,_

Then, she actually _smiled_ at him...

Then... then, he kissed her,

And she _loved_ it...


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took so long, and I really hope you like this chapter! This is where all the _drama_ starts ;P...**

 **Enjoy! :)**

The next day, James sauntered over to the Great Hall with a confident air about him. He flashed a Second Year a grin, nodding," Morning."

The bewildered child stumbled and dropped her books as she gaped back at him in awe. Had _the_ James Potter just talked to her?

James chuckled as he left the young girl fumbling for a suitable reply, lightly reprimanding himself for his over-the-top cheerful mood.

He was still grinning ear-to-ear as he sat down for breakfast in front of a certain crimson-headed someone.

"Hullo."

Lily looked up at him in between a forkful of eggs, nodded, and promptly went back to eating.

"You feeling better?" he inquired, trying not to seem put down by her less-than-enthusiastic greeting.

"Do I _look_ like I'm still in the bloody hospital?" she snapped, violently stabbing at her eggs with her fork. James blinked in surprise at her furious outburst. Had he done something wrong already?

He opened his mouth to say something but was quickly silenced when Lily stood up, breathing heavily, and quietly said," Just leave me alone, Potter. I'm in no mood for your foolish antics today." And with that, she gave him one last, hard look before stalking off.

James just sat there, wondering what in Merlin's _pants_ could have gotten Lily so utterly pissed. Was it him? Did she not like his new cologne? Was there something on his face? Wait, did he remember to brush his teeth? Ruddy hell, this was getting complicated...

He, too, then left his breakfast unfinished- the ceaseless fire inside of him now completely extinguished.

Everything had seemed to sudden... one minute, Lily seemed to actually be excited for Hogsmeade, yet the next, she was on the brink of downright setting the roof on fire... Blimey, girls were _weird_.

James knew there had to be a reason for this abrupt change in demeanor, and he grew determined to find out exactly what. It would be no easy task, though, seeing as how Lily was quite content in staying at least a Quidditch field's length away from him. There had been something in her eyes, however... He had seen that look before, a look that awoke a strong, deep hatred for something that he couldn't quite put a finger on yet.

He tried to quickly catch a glimpse of Lily as she reached the hall doors, and then gasped. He realized that he had failed to notice, an...er- _small_ detail about her before... her hand was in a bloody cast. A thick, scarlet, bandaged cast.

 _IDIOT_ , James seethed, mentally reminding himself to _kick himself in the crotch_ later.

Merlin's beard, how had he missed that?

Silently cursing himself, he strained himself to remember what had ignited this fierce hatred, but nothing came to mind... yet.


	9. Chapter 9

**Enjoy :)**

James kept glancing at Lily throughout Charms class, his heart panging at her distressed look. She appeared as though she had been crying- her eyes puffy and red, her cheeks tear-streaked, her posture stiff and shifty... yet James still couldn't pinpoint what was antagonizing her.

" _You_ didn't do anything, did ya mate?" Sirius asked quietly from the seat behind him.

"Of course not!" James cried, earning a few curious glances from the students around him. He huffed, annoyed by his friend's lack of faith in him, and heard Sirius sigh and mutter," If you say so..."

Each second ticked by- agonizingly slow- and James tapped his quill against his desk impatiently. Growing more and more frustrated with his unanswered questions, he finally yanked a sheet of parchment out of his bag and scribbled," _Hey Evans, what's wrong?"._ Silently praying that Flitwick wouldn't notice him, he crumpled the paper into a ball and chucked it across the room to Lily, where it hit her square on the head.

"Bloody he-" she screeched before quickly stopping herself to make sure the professor hadn't heard her outburst. She turned around to see who the perpetrator was and met James's gaze with a fierce glare. Slowly uncrumpling the paper, Lily looked down to read James's message before scribbling something herself.

She hurriedly glanced at Flitwick before tossing the message back to James. He straightened the paper out and read," _It's nothing. Stop bugging me, Potter, or I_ will _turn you into a toad."_

Relieved at her attempt at some humor (or at least, what he was _hoping_ was humor), James decided to wait until class was over to approach her.

When the class was finally dismissed, James rushed over to Lily before she could leave.

"Lils, what's up?" he asked as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

She whirled around, startled, and her hair flared out behind her in a gorgeous fiery arc. She looked slightly less miserable now that her eyes no longer had that red tinge and her puffiness had gone away, but she still had that same sunken appearance.

"Potter," she sighed tiredly," I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"You were crying," James pointed out smartly. He cursed himself for his blatancy, but Lily surprised him when she let out a small laugh.

"Yes, my genius Potter, I was crying."

 _My genius Potter..._ James hummed to himself- that had a ring to it.

"Lily..." he started," What's wrong. I can't bear to see you like this." He contemplated brushing her tear streaks away, but then thought otherwise.

"It-it's complicated."

"Lily."

She looked up at him, nothing but pain and misery in her emerald eyes. Silent tears began streaming down her face, and she bit her lip.

James's heart panged as he wrapped his arms around her, murmuring words of consolation into her hair, but she only cried harder, burying herself into his chest and clutching his robe. He rubbed her back softly, his heart fluttering as she sagged into his arms.

After a minute or two, she had gone quiet in James's embrace and he gently pulled away, tilting her head up with a finger.

"Lily, I'm asking you again. What happened to you? And to your hand?" he cried, nodding to her bandaged fingers.

She ducked away from his gaze, cradling her injured arm against her chest. "Long story..." she muttered. Looking down at her feet, she shuffled towards the door, but James grabbed her good arm and softly laughed at her excuse.

"We have time," he smirked as he began leading Lily towards the Prefect's bathroom, and she inhaled sharply.

"Wait- skip _class_?" she yelped. "Are you out of your _mind_?"

"Probably," he chuckled, running his free hand through his hair as he tugged her towards a corridor.

"Absolutely _not_. Let go right now," she demanded. She struggled against his grip but was severely hindered by the fact that her left hand was utterly useless.

They jostled past the crowd, Lily whimpering slightly as the bell rang and signaled the start of class.

As the hallways cleared out, James found it easier to lead Lily- who was _still_ thrashing about against his clutch- towards the bathrooms.

"Potter! You can't just- just _force_ me to do your bidding- especially something as atrocious as skipping class!" she cried as they neared the Prefects bathroom.

James just laughed as he opened the door to the lavatory and led them both inside. He settled down inside the empty tub, which was about half the size of a classroom, and waved at Lily to come join him. She hesitantly sat down, smoothing her skirt and folding her hands delicately over her lap.

After a few seconds, James quipped," Well, go on."

She sighed, shaking her head, but she couldn't hide her smile as she peered at James enthusiastically waiting for her to begin. "So, it started like this..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Just finished Trials of Apollo today and am currently _dying_ because the next book comes out NEXT YEAR. If this isn't cruel torture, I don't know what is... **

**Well, anyway... this chapter is much longer than the last few, so I hope that makes up for the really short ones!**

 **Enjoy :)**

"Madam Pomfrey released me from the hospital wing around ten-ish, saying that my concussion had passed and I just needed some more rest. So I was walking back to our Common Room when I remembered that I had missed that day's Potion's exam, and I decided to see if Professor Slughorn was still at the dungeons," Lily began. "It was just past curfew, but I wanted to ask Slughorn whether I would be able to make up the test."

James snorted at her odd willingness to take the exam (he himself would have wholeheartedly skipped it if he had had the chance), earning a fierce glare from Lily. He threw his palms up in defense, eyeing her warily, but she just squared her shoulders and continued, dismissing his interruption.

" _Anyways_ ," she cleared her throat," the dungeon was locked, so I assumed that the professor had left and began making my way back to the Gryffindor room. Just as I turned the corridor, though, I-I..."

She faltered and her eyes began to shimmer. James immediately scooted over to her and draped an arm over her shoulder, surprised when she leaned into his touch. He was worried- like, a whole new _level_ of worried. Nothing made the fierce Lily Evans break down to tears and- though he wasn't complaining about it- depend on _him_ (of all people) for support. "Lils, I don't know what happened to you, but if you aren't ready to tell me-"

"No!" she cried. "I mean, yes, I'm ready- I'm fine."

James nodded but kept his arm tightly around her.

She inhaled deeply and continued," I turned the corner and saw three students huddled in a corner, whispering about something. I stopped, but I guess they had heard my footsteps. They turned around, and- and just smiled awful, cold smiles when they saw me. Well, two of them did; the third just stood there quietly in the back. The first two came out of the shadows-"

"Who?" James interrupted.

Lily wavered, her lips pressed tightly together, "Some Slytherins."

James turned so that he was facing her, releasing her shoulder. He glared at her now, aware that she was _still_ keeping specific details from him. " _Who_?"

Lily grimaced, averting her eyes as she mumbled something inaudible to James. Leaning down so that he was eye-level with her, he took her injured arm and held it up in front of her. " _Who. gave. you. this._ "

Her voice cracked as she breathed," Just- just let me finish.

"The two of them started jeering at me- all those nonsensical _Mudblood_ threats- and they had me cornered against the wall. I-I didn't know what to do and there were no teachers around... and then they took out there wands and just started cursing me. I was able to deflect most of their spells, but I wasted my time looking towards the third Slytherin for help," she spat out the last part bitterly.

"And that's how I got this." She raised her arm.

James sighed, clutching the bridge of his nose. He tried to appear calm, but on the inside, he was ready to murder the sorry _bitches_ that had made the mistake of laying their filthy hands on his Lily. Again, he tried," Lily... who were they?"

She bit her lip, peeking a glance at James. " _Promise_ you won't do anything stupid."

"Er..." he faltered," define _stupid_..."

"You can't go after them or hurt them in any way."

James's jaw dropped as he cried," What? Lily! They hurt _you_! And called you a _you-know-what_!"

"I _know_. And that's precisely why I don't want you going after them. They don't care who they harm, whether it's a muggleborn like me or a pureblood like you."

"Wait..." James said slowly. "You don't think I can take care of myself?"

"Um... not really..." Lily's lips twitched upwards.

"Can too..." James muttered, but he was just happy to see Lily smile- or, almost smile.

Lily quirked her eyebrows at him, waiting for a response.

"Fine," James complied," I won't do anything you claim to be stupid. But just know that it'll tear my insides, break my soul, burn my conscience-" Lily laughed "- to see these morons walk free."

Lily gave him a small smile, but then grew solemn again as she took a shaky breath and began," The first Slytherin- the one that didn't do anything..."

And all of a sudden, everything clicked into place for James. How had he been so clueless and blind before? Of course Lily would feel this awful if someone who had been so close to her had grown so distant- if someone who she had once trusted and loved betrayed her so harshly. She had been through this pain before- last year when the idiot had insulted her in front of the whole school.

"Snape," he blurted out, gritting his teeth.

Lily's eyes had taken on a nervous gleam as she twiddled her thumbs and offered James a wary smile. "Erm... yeah."

"And I'm guessing the other two were Avery and Mulciber."

"Yeah..."

An awkward silence settled between the two of them as James furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought and Lily peered nervously at him, opening her mouth to speak and then deciding against it.

Finally, James stood up, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Are you still certain that I can't do anything about this?"

Lily stood up as well. "Yes, James. I don't want any additional trouble."

He huffed in annoyance, but then turned towards Lily again. He took her into his arms and rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes. Why Lily wasn't going to do anything about _Snivellus_ and his stupid Death Eater throng was a mystery to James, but he would respect her wishes. As long as Snape didn't get in his way anytime soon, everything would be fine...

Lily tensed as James wrapped his arms around her, but then relaxed into his chest. They just stood there for a few minutes until the bell rang, meaning their Herbology class had just ended.

Breaking away, James and Lily silently made their way to the door, neither of them sparing a glance at the other. Unlike earlier, however, this silence was more peaceful than uncomfortable. After flashing him a shy smile, Lily parted her way and walked down the hallway towards her next class. James just stood in the doorway for a few seconds before making his way towards Transfiguration as well.

His head was swarmed with thoughts about what Lily had said- everything replaying in his mind. How had Snape just stood there- watching Lily face off with not just one- but two- trained Death Eaters that wouldn't have had any grief if it came to killing her? He was fuming, but he told himself to calm down; the last thing he needed was to break his promise to Lily- especially when everything seemed to actually be going well between them.

Still lost in his thoughts and completely unaware of his surroundings, James bumped into someone as he turned the corridor.

"I am so sor-" he began until he realized who had come to face with.

Without thinking, he launched himself at none other than Severus Snape.


End file.
